Most people are familiar with Isaac Newton's third law of motion, that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The theory parallels the events following my late husband's death in 2013, as the person I used to be died along with him, but my innate reaction was to live. It may help explain my desire to find love again, ASAP.
Newton's first law of motion, however, is this: every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless external force is applied. That sounds like me, too, since most days I'm just a gal "pulling a Newton's first"—doing my part to simply stay in motion.
I can't say my motion is always a forward-moving kind, or a "moving on" type. More like moving along.
Thank God for Gravity
With deep breath,
I take in reality
of your absence,
and with leftover presence,
stand—
breathing still.
No stronger the wind
than entrance of a new child;
their air – one and the same.
So, with our birthright,
wind’s and mine,
I reason a smile.
Two feet now lay grounded
under soil, only our roots still
intertwined;
with every step I may leave you,
but gravity brings me back
each time.
If it's one thing I've learned after suffering trauma, it's to always try to keep a positive and forward momentum. That is, even when you're not exactly sure where it is you're going or why you're going there, or when plans seem to turn on you, keep moving.
Your mind may try to convince you to suddenly react or stop. Have you heard it? (It sounds something like this: Alert! Alert! Your life is turning upside-down! Turn around!) Go with your gut; ignore the nonsense when it arises. Every other organ, vessel, vein and bone in your body will make a point of siding with momentum. Do not allow your own mind to be the external force disturbing your natural state of motion.
By nature, momentum equals life. Of course, life has varying degrees of ups and downs, twists and turns. So, if you ever find yourself moving too fast for your own good, it's okay to slow your motion. According to Newton, your reaction should hold for a little while.
As for those equal and opposite reaction times?
Hold on. Take it easy. Take a break. Take a deep breath. Take a nap. Take a picture. Take a sip. Take a walk. Take a friend by the hand. Take your turn. Take pleasure.
All beat the alternative of stopping altogether.
René Romero Schuler has been said to be one of the "most well-collected contemporary artists to emerge out of the Midwest in the last 10 years". Schuler creates powerful images of strength and vulnerability through paintings (such as Trust, shown above), as well as paper and sculpture. Her works tackle emotions that speak to the heart of human condition and are capturing attention worldwide.
Visit René's official website at: http://www.reneschuler.com